Panel highlights bipartisan leadership and lessons from public service

At a recent discussion hosted by UVA Batten, two alumni of the Rodel Institute’s bipartisan fellowship program shared candid reflections on the challenges and opportunities of governing in polarized times. The talk was one of several events held in conjunction with Rodel’s book award, annually hosted by Batten.

Former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) and West Virginia State Senator Ryan Weld (R) spoke about their experiences governing in different political and geographic contexts, but with common challenges of poverty, disinvestment, and polarization.

Weld, who represents communities in West Virginia’s northern panhandle, described the economic struggles in his district. “I represent an area that’s facing the same problems as a lot of the Midwest — population loss, job loss, factories leaving. And that’s the challenge that we’ve been trying to work on,” he said. He noted that poverty looks different in the Rust Belt than in rural coalfield counties, but the drivers are similar: economic transitions that leave people behind.

Stoney shared lessons from his two terms as mayor of Richmond, where he emphasized reducing inequality and expanding opportunity. He pointed to the difficulty of solving complex social challenges in a politically divided climate. 

“Government can’t shy away from this. We must be proactive in figuring out where tools, like technology, can help and where they can harm, because if we wait, the harm will already be done,” he said. “All the costs start to rise, [people’s] salaries, their wages have stayed the same… And that gap, that delta right there, is the difficult part of living in poverty,” said Stoney.

Both leaders credited the Rodel Institute with shaping their approach to cross-partisan work. The fellowship program brings together elected officials from both parties to build trust and develop leadership skills. Stoney called the experience a rare opportunity to look past partisanship. 

Weld echoed that sentiment, stressing that genuine progress requires cooperation. “There are a lot of commonalities between what’s happening in rural Appalachia and what’s happening in post-industrial towns, and I think that’s something people often overlook,” he said. The ability to recognize shared struggles across communities, he argued, opens the door to bipartisan policymaking.

For the students in attendance, both panelists emphasized getting involved and serving in public roles. “If you want to do it, do it. Don’t let anybody discourage you,” Weld said.

“There are different levels to citizenship. You can register to vote, you can vote,” Stoney said. “But if you want to take your citizenship to a whole other level, get involved with your local government, your state government … run for office.”

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